USEP Bargaining Update: Week One
The District and USEP have begun negotiations for the 2015-2016 Instructional and SRP contracts! We have agreed to start early in the hopes that an earlier settlement will prove advantageous for everyone. Â The SRP team met on Wednesday, April 29th, and the Instructional team met last night, April 30th.
This week USEP passed:
- Ground Rules – (includes a new rule requiring parties who record the session to provide a copy of the recording within one week)
- School Choice Preference Employee Request MOU – unchanged (Instructional Only, SRP to come)
- Indoor Air/Environmental Quality Issues MOU – unchanged
- Federal and State Legislation MOU – reintroduced for consistency with SRP contract
- Educational Para/Instructional Assistant MOU – Career development program (SRP Only)
- NNB & Administrative Review MOU – (SRP Only)
The Board passed:
- Electronic Availability and Printing of Agreement MOU – dates only changed
- Retention of Fingerprints, and Five (5) Year Check MOU – change of wording to match verbiage in statute, updating of costs for fees in the year ahead
- “Mutual” Proposal #1 – Article VIII -Leaves of Absence – (adding voluntary sick leave donation language)
- Withholding of Step Discussions until August 2015 MOU – (SRP Only)
There was considerable discussion by both Bargaining teams regarding the District’s sick leave donation proposal.  Florida state government and some other district’s implemented this idea after recent legislation passed allowing for the donation of leave days to employees other than family members.  USEP is investigating and communicating with our counterparts in other districts regarding this possible benefit to employees.